Squaring scale



Patented Oct. 3 0, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f SQUARING SCALEEdward n. Nachel, chicago, nl.`

Application June 5, 1943, Serial No. 489,751

A2 Claims.

My invention relates to a squaring scale for use in the preparation oflm from which plates for printing in newspapers and other publicationsare made, and has for its primary object `the provision of a scale usedin what is known as fstripping, in which negatives in the form of filmor the like, can be sized and grouped for use in making plates for usein the press during the printing operation. y

Another object of the invention is the provision of a transparentsquaring scale adapted to be placed upon the stripping or square-upbench, with lights mounted underneath the scale, which is transparent,and upon the surface of which photographic films, negatives and the1ike,'can be laid and cut to size and shape desired for use in making upengraving plates.

A further object of my. invention is the provision of a scale whichpreferably is rectangular in shape and composed of a piece of glasswhich has a plane,smooth surface on one side and on the other side has aseries of lines etched o r otherwise permanently placed thereon, theselines comprising a series of major longitudinal lines which indicatedimensions, preferably inches, with light minor lines extending parallelwith the major lines and in spaced relation thereto and with each other,these lines also defining dimensions preferably in fractional inchesinasmuch as newspaper columnar space is usually measured in inches andfractions thereof, with transversely extending lines at right angles tosaid longitudinal lines defining the area into space corresponding tothe column space in the newspaper or publication for which theillustration is to appear.

Heretofore in thepreparation of negatives for this work, a glass toptable and a T-square have been used, with lights placed underneath thetable top, andthe measurements made with the T-square both with respectto the columns and lines desired, and the negatives for the platesshaped up and measured through the use of a `T-square, with the operatorhaving in mind the column and type line dimensions. Through the use ofmy improved device the T-square `can be dispensed with for measuring,because the nlm can `be cut in registerwith the lines appearing Von thescale, so that they can be tted into propis the provision of a scale intransparent` form,

in which the time heretofore required to cut film to various sizes andshapes` to properly t it tcgether, is materially reduced, andalso inwhich accuracy is insured because the scale is laid out in effect thesame as a printed page of a publication so that the operator" can easilyvisualize the position it will occupy` and canfmoveA the lm to the mostdesirable and advantageousposition to produce thebest results in viewof` the space which it is to occupy.

It is' the practice in preparing copy o`r"`p`hc`to graphs to make cropmarkings thereon, indicating that portion of the lni which itis desiredto reproduce. These crop markings are placed on the copy or photographlargely las the result of guesswork, without being accurately measuredwith respect to the space allotted to ,thefpicture inthe publication,and they are often `therefore improperly placed. Through the use of mygauge the proper cropping of the lm caribe` accom` plished more easily,and also such portion of the lm can be included as will produce the bestrel sults in a picture. Y ,i

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a gaugein which negatives can be grouped upon the plate and cut to proper sizesso that when fitted together they form a proper grouping and in this wayboth actual measuurements and guesswork are eliminated in thepreparation of the plates. These and other Vobjects of'my invention'willbe more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanyingsheet of drawing,\and,in which; j

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a 'scaleembody ing my invention, withthelines appearing on the under side thereof; and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of thescale shown in Figure 1.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, and in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, a transparent member I0, suchas glass or the like, is prepared having a smooth upper surface I Iforming a cutting surface for the films, and having on the under sidethereof 'a plurality of longitudinal lines I2, l2 extending partiallyacross the plate, these lines representing dimension lines, In theillustration shown,

f. if

these lines I2, I2 are intended to be spaced one inch apart, withordinals appearing at the side of the drawing running from to 9 toindicate an area nine inches in Width. Intermediate each of the linesI2, I2 is a series of other lines I3, I3 minor in Width and character,which also represent dimension lines, and preferably are oneeighth of aninch apart, although this spacing may Vary, depending upon the size andcharacter, the typelof 'the publication and the like, .and the scale canbe increased in size vii desired and marked accordingly.

Intermediate the major lines I2, I2 at one end of the plate, one of theminor lines I4 extends outward adjacent an ordinal 1/2, indicating anintermediate one-half inch line, so that the v'operator by applying thenegative -to the .upper face of the member IIl can readily visualize theposition which the illustration will occupy, and -arrange and trim thenegative accordingly. Extending transversely of the plate I0 is aplurality of lines I-5, I-5, these lines defining areas over the platecor-responding tothe columns of a newspaper or publication, `withordinals appearing at one 'side thereof extending from 0 to 8. Thespacing of these lines may vary, depending upon the column Width of anyparticular publication, but they correspond with the width of theparticular publication 'for which a plate is being prepared.

Intermediate the lines I5, I5 and vextending either partially orcompletely across the plate, are dotted lines IB, I6, indicating 'in thepresent instance one-half ofthe column width. The lines I5, I6 maybeused throughout the entire gauge or only at one side thereof, as shown'in the drawing, and may be spaced in different relation to the linesI5, I5 as may be desired, depending upon the condition and character ofthe work with .which the gauge is intended to be used.

At one side of the scale is a plurality of 'blank spaces 'I 1 I'I,referred to in this particular art as half column spaces, which may beof varying Widths and heights, depending upon the particular `kind ofprinting desired, although they usually are approximately one inch inwidth and may Vary `in height from an inch and a half to an inch andthree-quarters.

In operation, the scale, such .as illustrated in the drawing, andheretofore described, is placed in such manner that it becomes the topof the stripping table, with lights mounted underneath so `that the rayspass therethrough. The nlm, prior to being cut, is laid upon the top ofthe table and inasmuch asthe lm is still Wet it adheres to the table.The operator ,removes .such surplus water as may adhere to the lm and tothe surface of the scale, by means of a blotter. The rays of lightpassing from .the lamp underneath the table through the scale and thenlm, illuminates the object appearing on the negative so that side ofthe T-square. If the film is to be made diagonal, a T-square can be usedin connection with the gauge to get the proper lining, as foradvertising material, large cuts and the like. The dotted lines formguides for use where any cut is over one column in width but undermultiple column in width.

Through the use of the scale markings the operator can very quickly andvery readily size and -scale the negative v'to achieve the Ebestrestilts Without the necessity of measurement through the use of aT-square and then taking time to calculate the measurements with respect'to the 4column widths, type Widths and the like, to t the negative intoproper position for best results. -Likewise, of course, if the cropmarkings are .not accurately placed, the lm can be moved slightly so asto properly position the negative for best results with respect to thecrop markings, and also can be positioned with respect to the mortisesfor the 'best results with respect to Aprinting V'descriptive orexplanatory matter appearing vwith 'the photographs `or illustrations.

It will be understood that column widths in various publications vary,Aand that the transverse lines correspon-ding to the Vcolumn widths canbe varied accordingly as well as .the type lines, although thetransverse dimension lines probably would remain the same Vbecause ofthe uniform manner of computing 'printing 'space in inches of material.

While I have described more or less precisely the -details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto,"as .I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and thesubstitution .of equivalents as circumstances .may suggest or renderexpedient Without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A squaring scale comprising in combination, a transparent memberhaving a plane .surface on one side, a series of major dimensional linesextending longitudinally .of said member in spaced linear unit relationwith each other, a series of minor spaced lines extending parallel tosaid major lines in fractional linear unit relation with each other andwith the said major Iines, and a series of transverse lines deningcolumn space `on said member, the said longitudinal lines beinginterrupted at predetermined points to form half `column `cuts on saidmember.

2. A squaring scale comprising in combination, a transparent memberhaving a plane surface on one side, a series of major dimensional linesextending longitudinally of said Ymember in spaced relation with eachother, a series of minor .spaced lines extending parallel to said major.lines dening fractional dimension areas, and a series rof transverselines dening column space on said member, the said longitudinal linesbeing'interrupted at predetermined points at one marginal edge 'of thesaid member to form blank areas on said member.

.EDWARD R. NACHEL.

